(JUNE 8) Great news for Irish boxing fans today with the announcement today of the Jury's decision in the inaugural European Shadow Boxing challenge organised by the Management of the European Boxing Confederation for the Covid-19 Coronavirus pandemic.

The participants of the European Shadowboxing Challenge could upload their short individual videos to their social media platforms on Facebook and on Instagram. The jury then watched and evaluated all of the videos after the May 31st deadline.

This important new addition to the EUBC calendar inspired the whole continent. Russia and Hungary both won two categories in the European Shadowboxing Challenge while Ireland also earned one title following the decision of the jury.

The Shadowboxing Challenge quickly became popular in Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Greece, Lithuania, Finland, Spain, Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, Denmark, Sweden, Cyprus, in Malta, North Macedonia, and other European countries in recent weeks.

The Chairman of the EUBC Coaches Commission and the President of the Spanish Boxing Federation Mr Felipe Martinez joined to the jury. Chairman of the EUBC Passion for Boxing Commission and President of the Dutch Boxing Federation Mr Boris Van der Vorst, together with two-time 'Best European Boxing Journalist' Mr Tibor Kincses of Hungary were the members of the jury.

The jury's decisions were based on the attacking and defensive technique of the boxers, the speed, the number of the punches, intensity, the number of combinations, the landscape and full impression of the video. The jury watched hundreds of videos in the recent days before announcing the winners in five different categories: kids, junior/youth, women’s elite, men’s elite and veterans.

Gold, silver and bronze medals will be presented to the best four boxers in each of the five categories. The medals are in production in the Netherlands and will be sent to the National Federations in the upcoming period.

EUBC President Mr Franco Falcinelli, EUBC Vice-President Mr Umar Kremlev of Russia, and further EUBC officials Mr Boris Van der Vorst of the Netherlands, Mr Felipe Martinez of Spain and Mr Giorgio Brugnoli of England also arranged their shadowboxing videos in the recent weeks to inspire the whole European Boxing Family.

The Challenge inspired other continents as well and the Indian Federation launched two projects at national and international levels The Pakistan Federation also decided to start its shadowboxing challenge which will be running from June 15 until the 21st.

The decision of the Jury? : Kids (U15 years): Gold – Vseslav Stepanov, Russia,(11) Silver – Kristian Harasnik, Slovakia (11), Bronze – Sara Sanchez, Spain (10) Bronze – Enis Aliu, North Macedonia (14)

Junior and Youth crown: (15-18 years): Gold – Zsolt Zuro, Hungary Silver – Sven Cuppen, Netherlands Bronze – Luna Maria Mairena Aragon, Spain Bronze – Luna Beeloo, Netherlands.

Women’s Elite (19-40 years old): Gold – Kellie Harrington, Ireland, Silver – Agnes Alexiusson, Sweden Bronze – Sara Kos-Beram, Croatia Bronze – Deshire Kurtaj, Austria.

In the Men’s Elite category (19-40 years old): Gold – Roland Galos, Hungary Silver – Imam Khataev, Russia Bronze – Aleksandar Mraovic, Austria Bronze – Marcel Meinl, Austria and in the Veterans (+40 years old) Gold – Ivan Filipov, Russia Silver – Darius Katkevicius, Lithuania Bronze – Laszlo Kallo, Hungary Bronze – A. Mutaev, Russia (Dzhamal Badrutdinov’s coach)